Plasma Optical System Based on an Anode-Layer Plasma Thruster for Intense Electron Beam Transport

The paper presents the results of recent experimental research in a wide-aperture plasma optical system (POS) based on a closed drift anode layer thruster. The thruster serves as a toroidal gas discharge source of anode plasma and provides a high ionization probability and a high plasma density at relatively low gas flow rates and low gas pressures. The parameters of the plasma source are controllable and almost independent of the electron beam parameters, and its use in an electron gun enhances the breakdown strength of the acceleration gap and nearly doubles the electron beam current. The thruster-based POS resolves the anode grid problem and opens the way to controllable plasma-filled wide-aperture POS.